2013 African Nations Cup Qualifying

African football fans are looking forward to a big weekend of qualifying matches for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa. The final qualifying round features 15 home-and-away series. The 15 winners, to be determined by total goals in the two games, will join host South Africa at African football’s premier event.

One of the marquee match-ups this coming weekend will be in Abidjan, where The Elephants of Ivory Coast will host The Lions of Teranga from Senegal. African football analyst David Legge describes this qualifying series as worthy of a Nations Cup final.

Team captain Didier Drogba is the all-time top scorer for Ivory Coast.

The Elephants, Africa’s highest-ranked team, are led by veteran striker Didier Drogba, who recently moved from Chelsea in England’s Premier League to Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League.

Ivory Coast, the 1992 Nations Cup champion, reached the final of this year’s competition, losing (8-7) to underdog Zambia in a dramatic penalty kick shootout in Libreville, Gabon. Senegal, meanwhile, is hoping to bounce back after a very disappointing 2012 Nations Cup campaign. The Senegalese lost all three of their group matches and left the tournament as perhaps the most embarrassed team.

Zambians are very proud of their team, The Chipolopolo, for lifting the Nations Cup trophy for the first time in Libreville. To get to South Africa and defend their title, the Zambians will have to beat The Cranes of Uganda, who last competed in the Nations Cup tournament in 1978.

Zambian football great Kalusha Bwalya

Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya is not looking past the Ugandans, though, and he says they’ll provide a tough test. This series will kick off Saturday in Zambia’s Copperbelt city of Ndola, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The return match is scheduled for mid-October in Uganda.

The 2013 Nations Cup tournament will begin January 19th and goes through February 10th. Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg will stage the opening match and the final. Soccer City was also the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, in which Spain defeated the Netherlands, 1-0, in extra time.

7 responses to “2013 African Nations Cup Qualifying”

Sonny, good to hear from David Legge, after a long period.As for the Nations Cup,i have no doubt Ivory Coast will qualify.But am not happy with the Super Eagles drawing with Liberia.But there is still hope.

Hi sonny,i’m so excited after watching ur picture on the internet this evening, after hearing ur voice on the radio for over eleven yrs.sonny seeing ur face on the internet,is to me like reaching the gate of heaven.

Hello, Dr. Farisco. “The Super Eagles” of Nigeria will host “The Lone Star” of Liberia October 13 in a decisive 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. The teams drew 2-2 in the first leg in Liberia. The winner of the home-and-away series will advance to January’s Nations Cup tournament in South Africa. Sporty regards, Sonny.

Sonny , take it or leave it we are going to take Nigeria by a big supprised, the best Nigeria can do is to take a draw from Liberia , we are going to beat them in their own home , in fornt of their children and wifesssssssssssss. take to you after the game . Have a good day

@Ness nesscore,I hope you are not day dreaming?.The Lone Star of Liberia are only coming here to lose.You have to prepare your mind when it will happen,so that you don’t feel so much depression.
Let me drive the point home.The Super Eagles will win your “Lone Star”.If Keshi comes across your comment, he may order the Eagles to inflict a basket of goal punishment,just like our Flamingos did on Azerbaijan,in the under 17 FIFA World Cup.

Sonny Side of Sports is an energetic and action-packed look at both world and African sports, broadcast on radio, TV and the Internet. Since the show’s creation in 1999, host Sonny Young has delighted listeners and viewers with a lively presentation that combines humor, props, sound effects and correspondent reports from Africa and all over the globe.

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